Pork Sandwich with Romesco Sauce

Smoky, sweet, and substantial.

By
María del Mar Cuadra
A headshot of Maria del Mar Cuadra, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
María del Mar Cuadra
María del Mar Cuadra is a food stylist, recipe developer, and art director. She has written three cookbooks and worked for America's Test Kitchen.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated September 17, 2020
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Recipe Details

Pork Sandwich with Romesco Sauce Recipe

Active 25 mins
Total 105 mins
Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • For the Romesco
  • 1 dry ancho chili
  • 3 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 3/4 cup drained canned or jarred piquillo peppers
  • 3/4 cup drained and crushed canned plum tomatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 slice hearty white bread, torn into pieces
  • 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds or toasted skinned hazelnuts
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  •  
  • For the Pork
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 (1 1/2 -pound) pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1 inch-thick medallions
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 cups packed arugula
  •  
  • For the Assembly
  • 4 (6-inch long) crusty rolls, such as ciabatta
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional)

Directions

  1. For the Romesco: Place the chili in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. If necessary, weigh the chili down with a second bowl or other object to keep it submerged. Soak chili for 30 minutes, then pat dry, remove stem and seeds, and coarsely chop.

  2. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss chili, bacon, peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, and smoked paprika together in prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.

  3. Roast until onions are softened and slightly charred, 30 to 40 minutes, tossing mixture halfway through cooking. Transfer to cooling rack and cool 15 minutes.

  4. Pulse bread in food processor until it breaks down into crumbs. Add pepper mixture, nuts, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. Romesco may be made 1 week in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.

  6. For the Pork: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Rub all over with smoked paprika.

  7. Cook pork until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to large bowl. Using 2 fork, shred pork into bite-sized pieces.

  8. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until crisp and golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in arugula.

  9. For the Assembly: Slice rolls in half and spread the inside of the top piece with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Spread a heaping 1/4 cup romesco on bottom half of each roll.

  10. Distribute pork evenly among romesco-spread bread pieces, top with mayo-spread bread pieces and serve.

Special Equipment

Large rimmed baking sheet, foil, tongs, cooling rack, food processor, large skillet

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